Tape substrate and method for fabricating the same

ABSTRACT

A tape substrate including an insulating film, a copper foil pattern formed on the insulating film at one side of the insulating film, and provided with a connecting area where an electronic element is to be mounted, a barrier layer plated on the copper foil pattern at the connecting area, and formed with a plurality of pores, and a tin layer plated on the barrier layer, and alloyed with a portion of the copper foil pattern corresponding to the connecting area, through the pores. A method for fabricating the tape substrate is also disclosed. In accordance with the invention, it is possible to reduce the time taken for the copper foil pattern to come into contact with the electroless tin plating solution used in the tin plating process, thereby preventing the copper component of the copper foil pattern from being eluted. Accordingly, there is no open-circuit fault caused by formation of pores. The barrier layer makes it possible to obtain an improved plating efficiency and to reduce the thickness of the alloy layer. In addition, the barrier layer serves to reduce internal stress generated at the interface between the tin layer and the copper foil pattern, thereby suppressing formation of voids. Accordingly, there is an effect of preventing a short circuit caused by the growth of whiskers.

This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/724,219filed on Dec. 1, 2003. This Nonprovisional application claims priorityunder 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 2002-75984 filedin KOREA on Dec. 2, 2002, the entirety of each of the above-identifieddocuments are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tape substrate and a method forplating the tape substrate, and more particularly to a tape substrateand a fabricating method thereof, in which tin is plated on a patternportion of the tape substrate where an electronic element is to bemounted, without formation of pores or whiskers.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, tape substrates are mainly applicable to foldable electronicappliances such as an LCD panel, a portable phone, or a notebookcomputer. In pace with miniaturization and lightness of such electronicappliances, various substrates have been developed. For example, a tapeautomated bonding (TAB) substrate, a tape ball grid array (TBGA)substrate, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) substrate,and a chip on film (COF) substrate have been developed.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a conventional tape substrate.This tape substrate is fabricated by bonding a copper foil, about 20 μmthick, to an upper surface of an insulating film 10 made of a materialsuch as polyimide or polyether sulphon, coating photoresist over anupper surface of the copper foil, and then exposing the photoresist tolight by use of a mask having a pattern corresponding to a desiredwiring pattern, thereby transferring the wiring pattern onto thephotoresist.

After the transfer of the pattern, the copper foil is subjected to anetching process, so that it is patterned to have a desired pattern.Thereafter, the photoresist is removed. Thus, a copper foil pattern 20is completely formed.

A solder resist 30 is coated on the tape substrate formed with thecopper foil pattern 20, at a region other than a connecting area, sothat the surface portion of the tape substrate corresponding to theconnecting area is maintained in an exposed state. Thereafter, tin isplated on the exposed surface portion of the tape substrate to form atin layer 27 adapted to prevent oxidation from occurring at theconnecting area while enabling an electronic element to be mounted onthe tape substrate at the connecting area.

The plated tin layer 27 exhibits a superior flexibility, while beingless toxic to the human body. The tin layer 27 also exhibits a superiorsolderability because its melting point is low. The tin layer 27 canalso be inexpensively formed, thereby reducing the fabricating cost ofthe tape substrate. Furthermore, it is possible to form the tin layer 27to have a uniform thickness of 1 μm or less. The tin plating solutionadapted to form the tin layer 27 can be easily handled. In addition, thetin layer 27 exhibits a high bonding strength to bumps made of gold. Byvirtue of such advantages, the application of such a plated tin layer isbeing widened.

In accordance with the above mentioned tape substrate and fabricatingmethod thereof, however, an electroless thin plating solution maypenetrate between the edge of the solder resist 30 and the copper foilpattern 20 during a process of plating thin on the tape substrate. As aresult, a local cell is formed between the copper foil and theelectroless tin plating solution, so that copper may be eluted from thecopper foil pattern, thereby causing voids C to be formed at the copperfoil pattern. Where such a void C has a large size, open-circuit faultmay be generated at the copper foil pattern 20.

Due to the void C, a bending stress is generated at the tape substrate,so that the tape substrate may be deformed. In severe cases, the tapesubstrate may be bent, thereby causing its copper foil pattern to bedamaged.

Typically, stress may be generated at the interface between the copperfoil pattern and the tin layer plated thereon, due to the heterostructures of those layers. For this reason, needle-shaped precipitatescalled “whiskers” may grow for several days or even several years. Suchwhiskers may short-circuit adjacent pattern portions of the copper foilpattern, thereby causing circuit damage. However, there is no methodcapable of effectively suppressing such whiskers.

A heat treatment or alloying method has often been used to suppressformation of whiskers. However, the heat treatment method requires alengthened process time, thereby causing a degradation in productivity.Furthermore, the tape substrate may be degraded under a certain heatingcondition, so that it may have a poor quality. As the tin layer 27 isheated, the tin component thereof is coupled with the copper element ofthe copper foil pattern, thereby forming a tin-copper alloy layer 23. Inorder to obtain a desired thickness of a pure tin layer portion in thetin layer 27, it is necessary to perform the tin plating process for aprolonged period of time. There is also a problem in that the tin-cooperalloy layer 23 has an excessively large thickness.

Where the above alloying is carried out to suppress formation ofwhiskers, there is a degradation in electrical characteristics andsolderability. As a result, the mounting strength for electronicelements is weakened. Thus, this method cannot basically provide asolution to the above mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above mentionedproblems, and an object of the invention is to provide a tape substrateand a fabricating method thereof, in which a barrier layer is formedprior to plating of tin in order to suppress formation of whiskers,thereby being capable of enhancing the quality and reliability of acircuit pattern formed, in the form of a highly densely integrated microcircuit pattern, at the tape substrate, preventing open-circuit fault ofthe pattern caused by formation of voids, achieving an increase inpattern strength in accordance with dispersion of stress, and preventinga degradation in electrical characteristics.

In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a tapesubstrate comprising: an insulating film; a copper foil pattern formedon the insulating film at one side of the insulating film, and providedwith a connecting area where an electronic element is to be mounted; abarrier layer plated on the copper foil pattern at the connecting area,and formed with a plurality of pores; and a tin layer plated on thebarrier layer, and alloyed with a portion of the copper foil patterncorresponding to the connecting area, through the pores.

In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides amethod for fabricating a tape substrate, comprising the steps of: (A)forming, on an insulating film, a copper foil pattern having aconnecting area; (B) coating a solder resist on the copper foil pattern,formed at step (A), at a region other than the connecting area; (C)plating a barrier layer on the copper foil pattern at the connectingarea after the coating of the solder resist at step (B); and (D) platingtin on the barrier layer plated at step (C), thereby forming a tin layeron the barrier layer.

In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides amethod for fabricating a tape substrate, comprising the steps of: (A)forming, on an insulating film, a copper foil pattern having aconnecting area; (B) plating a barrier layer over the copper foilpattern formed at step (A); (C) coating a solder resist on the barrierlayer at a region other than the connecting area, after the plating ofthe barrier layer at step (B); and (D) plating tin on the barrier layerat the connecting area after the coating of the solder resist at step(C), thereby forming a tin layer on the barrier layer at the connectingarea.

In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides amethod for fabricating a tape substrate, comprising the steps of: (A)forming, on an insulating film, a copper foil pattern having aconnecting area; (B) plating a barrier layer over the copper foilpattern formed at step (A); (C) plating tin over the barrier layer afterthe plating of the barrier layer at step (B), thereby forming a tinlayer over the barrier layer; and (D) coating a solder resist on the tinlayer at a region other than the connecting area, after the formation ofthe tin layer at step (C).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects, and other features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent after reading the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a conventional tape substrate;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a tape substrate according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the tape substrate according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for fabricating a tapesubstrate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for fabricating a tapesubstrate in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method for fabricating a tapesubstrate in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, a tape substrate and fabricating method thereof according to thepresent invention will be described in detail with reference to theannexed drawings.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a tape substrate according to thepresent invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the tapesubstrate according to the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tape substrate includes an insulatingfilm 60, a copper foil pattern 70 formed on the insulating film 60 atone side of the insulating film 60, and provided with a connecting areawhere an electronic element is to be mounted, a barrier layer 75 platedon the copper foil pattern 70 at the connecting area, and formed with aplurality of pores 75, and a tin layer 77 plated on the barrier layer75. In FIG. 3, the reference numeral 80 designates a solder resist.

The tin layer 77 plated on the barrier layer 75 comes into contact withthe copper foil pattern 70 via the pores. As the tin layer 77 is heated,it alloys with the copper foil pattern 70.

The insulating film 60 may be made of a plastic resin film. Preferably,the insulating film 60 is made of an chemical-resistant andheat-resistant material because it is heated in a plating process in astate of being dipped in a electroless barrier or tin plating solution.

Typically, the insulating film 60 is made of a material such as epoxy,ester, polyimide, or polyamide. In accordance with the presentinvention, a film made of polyimide is mainly used for the insulatingfilm 60.

The insulating film 60 typically has a thickness of 10 to 100 μm. In aprocess for fabricating the tape substrate, this insulating film 60 isfed by a reel-to-reel type feeding machine. In order to accurately feedthe insulating film 60 while achieving a desired alignment of theinsulating film 60, a plurality of uniformly spaced alignment holes 65are formed in an aligned fashion at the insulating film 60 along bothsides of the insulating film 60, as shown in FIG. 2. The alignment holes65 are sequentially engaged with alignment pins provided at the feedingmachine during a feeding operation of the feeding machine, so as toallow the insulating film 60 to be accurately fed.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for fabricating the tapesubstrate having the above described structure in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, this method includes first step S11 of forming, onthe insulating film 60, the copper foil pattern 70 having the connectingarea, second step S12 of coating the solder resist 80 on the copper foilpattern 70, formed at first step S11, at a region other than theconnecting area, third step S13 of plating the barrier layer 75 on thecopper foil pattern 70 at the connecting area after the coating of thesolder resist 80 at second step S12, and fourth step S14 of plating thetin layer 77 on the barrier layer 75 plated at third step S13.

At first step S11, the insulating film 60 is coated with a copper foilto form the copper foil pattern 70. The copper foil may be attached tothe insulating film 60 by means of an adhesive 62 having heat-resistantand chemical-resistant properties while having a certain adhesion.Alternatively, the copper foil may be formed on the insulating film 60in accordance with an electrolytic plating process.

Typically, the copper foil formed through the electrolytic platingprocess has a thickness of 6 to 25 μm. Where it is desired to form amicro pattern, the copper foil is deposited through a sputtering processso that it has a small thickness.

The insulating film 60, to which the above described copper foil isattached, is then subjected to a photolithography process involvingcoating, exposure, development, etching, and peeling-off steps. Thus,the copper foil pattern 70 is formed on the insulating film 60.

The copper foil pattern 70 formed at first step S11 is then treated atsecond step S12, so as to prevent oxidation thereof and to achieve anelectrical insulation thereof. At second step S12, the solder resist 80is coated on the copper foil pattern 70.

For the solder resist 80, epoxy, polyimide, or urethane may typically beused. Preferably, the solder resist 80 is made of a material capable ofbeing easily bonded to both the copper foil pattern 70 and theinsulating film 60. Also, the solder resist 80 may be made of athermosetting resin which can be set by ultraviolet rays or heat.

The solder resist 80 is coated on the copper foil pattern 70 at a regionother than the connecting area, so as to allow an electronic element tobe mounted on the connecting area. Accordingly, the coating of thesolder resist 80 is carried out under the condition in which theconnecting area is covered by a screen mask, in order to prevent thesolder resist 80 form being coated over the connecting area.

The solder resist 80 is coated to have a thickness of 5 to 50 μm. Wherethe solder resist 80 is made of a thermosetting resin, it is subjected,in a coated state, to a heating process at a temperature of 120 to 160°C. for about 30 minutes or more so that it is dried.

In the process of heating the solder resist 80, bubbles may be formed atthe solder resist 80. Accordingly, it is necessary to appropriatelyincrease the heating temperature in the heating process, in order toprevent formation of bubbles while preventing a resist solvent presentin the solder resist 90 from flowing toward the copper foil pattern 70,and thus, remaining on the copper foil pattern 70.

After the coating of the solder resist 80 at second step S12, theresultant structure is subjected to third step S13 for coating thebarrier layer 75 on the connecting area not coated with the solderresist 80.

The barrier layer 75 is made of a compound containing gold (Au) andsilver (Ag) as major components thereof. An additive such as selenium(Se) or lead (Pb) is also added to the compound in order to obtain anincreased plating strength.

The plating of the barrier layer 75 is carried out in accordance with anelectroless plating process using an electroless barrier platingsolution. The electroless barrier plating solution may have acomposition consisting of 0.01 to 5 wt % of soluble Au, 0.1 to 5 wt % ofsoluble Ag, 0.1 to 20 wt % of KCN or NaCN, 0.1 to 20 wt % of imidazoleor imidazole derivative, 0.1 to 20 wt % a nonionic surfactant, and 0.1to 20 wt % of a glycine/EDTA/chelate agent.

The barrier layer 75 electroless-plated using the above electrolessbarrier plating solution has a thickness of 0.01 to 1 μm. Preferably,the barrier layer 75 has a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 μm.

Where the barrier layer 75 is excessively thick, the time taken to carryout a subsequent tin plating process increases. On the other hand, wherethe barrier layer 75 is excessively thin, the layer formed as the platedtin is alloyed with the copper foil has an excessively large thickness.Accordingly, the barrier layer 75 should have an appropriate thicknessdetermined in accordance with a finally-required thickness of the tinlayer 77.

The barrier layer 75 is plated in the form of dots, so that it has anumber of pores. In accordance with the present invention, the barrierlayer 75 has a pore density corresponding to less than 95% of thesurface area of the copper foil pattern 70, preferably not less than 50%of the surface area of the copper foil pattern 70.

At fourth step S14, tin is plated on the barrier layer 75 in accordancewith an electroless tin plating process to form the tin layer 77. In theelectroless tin plating process carried out on the barrier layer 75plated at third step S13, substitution between the copper component ofthe copper foil and the tin component of the electroless tin platingsolution is carried out, so that the tin layer 77 is formed.

The electroless tin plating solution may have a composition consistingof 1 to 30 wt % of methane sulfonic acid, 1 to 30 wt % of tin methanesulfonate, 1 to 30% of thiourea, 0.1 to 10 wt % a nonionic surfactant,0.1 to 20 wt % of a carboxylic acid, and 0.1 to 20 wt % of an aromaticamine.

The tin layer 77 electroless-plated using the above electroless tinplating solution has a thickness of 0.01 to 1 μm. Preferably, the tinlayer 77 has a thickness of 0.05 to 0.5 μm.

Thereafter, fifth step S15 is carried out. At fifth step S15, a heatingprocess is performed so that a tin (Sn)-copper (Cu) alloy layer 73 isformed at the interface between the barrier layer 75 and the tin layer77.

In the heating process, substitution between the copper component of thecopper foil pattern 70 exposed through the pores of the barrier layer 75and the tin component of the electroless tin plating solution penetratedinto the pores of the barrier layer 75 is carried out, thereby formingthe tin-copper alloy layer 73 at each pore. The pure tin layer 77 ispresent on the tin-copper alloy layer 73.

Since the tin-copper alloy layer 83 is formed at each pore of thebarrier layer 75, it is present in the same layer as the barrier layer75 in a state of being interconnected with the barrier layer 75.

Since the tin-copper alloy layer 83 is formed at each pore of thebarrier layer 75, it is possible to suppress generation of internalstress in the tin layer 77. Accordingly, the possibility of formation ofwhiskers is reduced. It is also possible to plate the tin layer 77 to adesired thickness within a reduced time.

With the provision of the barrier layer 75, the contact area between theelectroless tin plating solution and the copper foil pattern 70 isreduced. Accordingly, the plating time can be reduced. It is alsopossible to prevent an open-circuit fault caused by an excessivesubstitution between the copper foil pattern 70 and the electroless tinplating solution.

Connecting electrodes of an electronic element are mounted on the copperfoil pattern 70 plated with tin as described above. The connectingelectrodes are typically made of gold. The material of the connectingelectrodes is coupled with the tin component of the tin layer 77, sothat they are alloyed in the form of an eutectic alloy. Accordingly, theconnecting electrodes are firmly bonded to the copper foil pattern 70.

Although the tape substrate and the fabricating method thereof accordingto the present invention have been described with reference to theannexed drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additionsand substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention.

For example, the process sequence of the tape substrate fabricatingmethod may be changed. In this connection, FIG. 5 is a flow chartillustrating a method for fabricating the tape substrate in accordancewith another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5,this method includes the steps of forming, on an insulating film, acopper foil pattern having a connecting area (S21), plating a barrierlayer over the copper foil pattern (S22), and coating a solder resist onthe barrier layer at a region other than the connecting area, forprevention of oxidation and achievement of electrical insulation (S23).

After the coating of the solder resist on the barrier layer at theregion other than the connecting area, formation of a tin layer iscarried out by plating tin on an exposed portion of the barrier layerplated on the connecting area (S24).

The tape substrate fabricating method of this embodiment is differentfrom that of the above described embodiment in that the sequence of theprocesses of forming the solder resist and barrier layer is changed.Thus, it is possible to change the sequence of the solder resist andbarrier layer forming processes.

Thereafter, a heating process is carried out (S25), in order to form atin (Sn)-copper (Cu) alloy layer at the interface between the barrierlayer and the tin layer.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method for fabricating the tapesubstrate in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 6, this method includes the steps offorming, on an insulating film, a copper foil pattern having aconnecting area (S31), plating a barrier layer over the copper foilpattern (S32), and plating tin to form a tin layer on the barrier layer(S33).

After the tin plating, a solder resist is coated on the barrier layer ata region other than the connecting area, for prevention of oxidation andachievement of electrical insulation (S34).

After the plating of the tin layer, but before the coating of the solderresist, a heating process is carried out (S35), in order to form analloy layer at the interface between the barrier layer and the tinlayer.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in conjunction withvarious examples. These examples are made only for illustrativepurposes, and the present invention is not to be construed as beinglimited to those examples.

EXAMPLE 1

A copper foil pattern having a thickness of 18 μm was formed on apolyimide film. Thereafter, a barrier layer having a thickness of 0.1 μmwas formed over the entire upper surface of the copper foil pattern.Subsequently, a solder resist was printed to a thickness of 30 μm overthe barrier layer, and then thermally set at a temperature of 150° C.for 60 minutes. A tin layer was then formed over the barrier layer in atin plating bath maintained at 65° C. In accordance with theseprocesses, tape substrates having different tin layer thicknesses of 0.2μm, 0.3 μm, and 0.4 μm, respectively, were fabricated. Any of the tapesubstrates did not exhibit voids and whiskers at the boundary of thesolder resist. Even after being aged for seven days, any of the tapesubstrates did not exhibit whiskers even after being aged for sevendays.

EXAMPLE 2

A copper foil pattern having a thickness of 18 μm was formed on apolyimide film. Thereafter, a solder resist was printed to a thicknessof 30 μm on the upper surface of the copper foil pattern at a regionother than a connecting area, and then thermally set at a temperature of150° C. for 60 minutes. Thereafter, a barrier layer having a thicknessof 0.1 μm was formed on the copper foil pattern. A tin layer was thenformed over the barrier layer in a tin plating bath maintained at 65° C.In accordance with these processes, tape substrates having different tinlayer thicknesses of 0.1 μm, 0.2 μm, and 0.3 μm, respectively, werefabricated. Any of the tape substrates did not exhibit voids andwhiskers at the boundary of the solder resist. Even after being aged forseven days, any of the tape substrates did not exhibit whiskers.

EXAMPLE 3

A copper foil pattern having a thickness of 18 μm was formed on apolyimide film. Thereafter, a solder resist was printed to a thicknessof 30 μm on the upper surface of the copper foil pattern at a regionother than a connecting area, and then thermally set at a temperature of150° C. for 60 minutes. Thereafter, a barrier layer having a thicknessof 0.1 μm was formed on the copper foil pattern. A tin layer was thenformed over the barrier layer in a tin plating bath maintained at 65° C.In accordance with these processes, tape substrates having different tinlayer thicknesses of 0.2 μm, 0.3 μm, and 0.4 μm, respectively, werefabricated. After the formation thereof, the tin layer was dried at atemperature of 120° C. for 120 minutes. All tape substrates exhibitedexcellent characteristics.

EXAMPLE 4

A copper foil pattern having a thickness of 18 μm was formed on apolyimide film. Thereafter, a solder resist was printed to a thicknessof 30 μm on the upper surface of the copper foil pattern at a regionother than a connecting area, and then thermally set at a temperature of150° C. for 60 minutes. Thereafter, a barrier layer having a thicknessof 0.1 μm was formed on the copper foil pattern. A tin layer was thenformed to a thickness of 0.1 μm over the barrier layer in a tin platingbath maintained at 65° C. After the formation thereof, the tin layer wasdried at a temperature of 120° C. for 120 minutes. A secondary tinplating process was subsequently carried out to obtain a pure tin layerhaving a thickness of 0.1 μm. The resultant tape substrate did not causeany problem.

In the electroless tin plating process in the above examples, forformation of an optimal barrier layer, each tape substrate formed withthe copper foil pattern was acid-cleaned at 45° C. for 60 seconds in asolution containing sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) as a major component thereof,and washed by pure water at normal temperature. The tape substrate wasalso subjected to a micro etching process for removal of an oxide filmfrom the surface of the copper foil pattern, and then washed. Afterthese processes, the formation of the barrier layer was carried out. Thetin plating process was carried out using a tin plating solutioncontaining 15% of methane sulfonic acid (MSA) for surface polish. Theplated tin layer was washed at 45° C. for 30 seconds, and then dried.

In the case in which the barrier plating process and the tin platingprocess are separately carried out, the above described processconditions may be used without any substantial modification thereof.

As apparent from the above description, in accordance with the tapesubstrate of the present invention and the fabricating method thereof, abarrier layer having a plurality of pores is formed at the connectingarea of a copper foil pattern, so that a tin layer plated over thebarrier layer is alloyed with the copper foil pattern at the connectingarea through the pores. In accordance with the present invention, it ispossible to reduce the time taken for the copper foil pattern to comeinto contact with the electroless tin plating solution used in the tinplating process, thereby preventing the copper component of the copperfoil pattern from being eluted. Accordingly, there is no open-circuitfault caused by formation of pores. The barrier layer makes it possibleto obtain an improved plating efficiency and to reduce the thickness ofthe alloy layer. As a result, formation of the pure tin layer is easilyachieved, thereby enabling a reduction in the process time, and thus, anincrease in yield. Also, it is possible to reduce the thickness of thecopper foil pattern. This provides an advantage in association of theformation of micro circuit patterns.

In addition, the barrier layer serves to reduce internal stressgenerated at the interface between the tin layer and the copper foilpattern, thereby suppressing formation of voids. Accordingly, there isan effect of preventing a short circuit caused by the growth ofwhiskers.

By virtue of the barrier layer, it is also possible to reduce avariation in electrical characteristics caused by hetero metal layers.Since it is unnecessary to use a separate process for preventingformation of whiskers, the process time and costs can be reduced.

1. A method for fabricating a tape substrate, comprising the steps of:(A) forming, on an insulating film, a copper foil pattern having aconnecting area; (B) coating a solder resist on the copper foil pattern,formed at step (A), at a region other than the connecting area; (C)plating a barrier layer on the copper foil pattern at the connectingarea after the coating of the solder resist at step (B); and (D) platingtin on the barrier layer plated at step (C), thereby forming a tin layeron the barrier layer.
 2. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising the step of: heating the barrier layer and the tin layerafter the plating of the tin layer at step (D), thereby alloying thebarrier layer and the tin layer at an interface therebetween.
 3. Amethod for fabricating a tape substrate, comprising the steps of: (A)forming, on an insulating film, a copper foil pattern having aconnecting area; (B) plating a barrier layer over the copper foilpattern formed at step (A); (C) coating a solder resist on the barrierlayer at a region other than the connecting area, after the plating ofthe barrier layer at step (B); and (D) plating tin on the barrier layerat the connecting area after the coating of the solder resist at step(C), thereby forming a tin layer on the barrier layer at the connectingarea.
 4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the stepof: heating the barrier layer and the tin layer after the plating of thetin layer at step (D), thereby alloying the barrier layer and the tinlayer at an interface therebetween.
 5. A method for fabricating a tapesubstrate, comprising the steps of: (A) forming, on an insulating film,a copper foil pattern having a connecting area; (B) plating a barrierlayer over the copper foil pattern formed at step (A); (C) plating tinover the barrier layer after the plating of the barrier layer at step(B), thereby forming a tin layer over the barrier layer; and (D) coatinga solder resist on the tin layer at a region other than the connectingarea, after the formation of the tin layer at step (C).
 6. The methodaccording to claim 5, further comprising the step of: heating thebarrier layer and the tin layer after the plating of the tin layer atstep (C), thereby alloying the barrier layer and the tin layer at aninterface therebetween.